They’re beautiful, confident and proud — and many would be classed as dangerously obese. But nevertheless, the number of ‘fatspiration’ sites, where plus-size women model the latest fashions and post inspiring messages to others, are soaring.
Here, the overwhelming message is — beauty is possible at any size. Alongside the pictures of bigger women we are used to seeing wearing high fashion are ‘inspirational’ messages and quotes like: ‘Arm fat is nothing to be ashamed of’ and ‘If someone doesn’t like your body, that’s their problem.’
One such blogger is NHS operations manager Naomi Griffiths, 32, from Exeter, who models the latest plus-size outfits on her site Diamonds & Pearls.
Beautiful photographs of a flawlessly made-up, size 22-24 Naomi modelling everything from dresses for a wedding to swimsuits are posted, along with accessorised bags, sunglasses and shoes, and viewed by 14,000 followers.
Naomi Griffiths, 32, from Exeter, is a plus-size fashion blogger who runs the site Diamonds & Pearls. She started blogging to show she was no less worthy of feeling, and looking, good than thinner women
However, despite her beaming smile and bubbly posts, Naomi wasn’t always so content in her own skin. Like many fatspiration bloggers, Naomi had dieted to no avail for most of her life.
Then, at the end of her tether when the scales refused to shift, she decided to start blogging, determined to show she was no less worthy of feeling, and looking, good than any thinner woman.
Now, she proudly describes herself as fat — something she says put an end to a painful journey that started at the age of ten.
‘I remember friends in junior school telling me they didn’t want to play with me because of my size — and measuring my waist with their hands,’ says Naomi. When she was 15, she saw the words ‘Naomi is a fat slag’ written on the wall of the school toilets.
Amanda Elliott, 27, from Edinburgh is another plus-size blogger. Her pithy comments and pretty photographs of her size 26 figure have attracted nearly 10,000 followers
She says: ‘Every diet I tried didn’t work. I would allow myself to feel worthy with every pound I lost, but beat myself up again with every pound I put back on.’
She studied English at university, where the taunts continued. ‘I got larger, and boys would only chat me up as a joke, or for a bet. I remember one occasion at a club wearing a beautiful white gypsy skirt. I felt pretty — and then overheard two men saying: “What is that cow wearing? Is that supposed to be a belt or a lasso?” ’
One morning she had a moment of clarity. She was sick of hating her body. ‘I took to the internet for solace and I found an online community where fat women were pictured looking happy, sticking their fingers up to their tormentors.’
When she started contributing her own pictures, she was amazed to find others telling her they loved how she looked.
‘From that day on, I walked a bit lighter, not because I was physically lighter but because my demons started lifting.’
The fatspiration movement has even penetrated the higher echelons of fashion, with bigger model Ashley Graham featuring on the cover of Vogue in January.
Naomi (pictured) says we are constantly told fat people are a drain on society, which feeds prejudice
Such fashion firsts make good business sense. It’s estimated the market for clothing over size 16 is worth £5.4 billion in the UK, a figure that will rise to £6.4 billion by 2019, according to the retail research agency Conlumino.
By 2020, it’s predicted to outperform the overall womenswear market. Last month, even Victoria Beckham, known for only dressing waifs, launched a range in America up to UK size 24, while Nike has also launched a plus-size range.
Amanda Elliott, 27, studying events management in Edinburgh, is another fatspiration blogger. Her pithy comments and pretty photographs of her size 26 figure have attracted nearly 10,000 followers.
Such body confidence was hard-won — Amanda was just seven when she was voted the girl most in need of a diet. Like Naomi, she also wants her blog to draw attention to what she calls the last ‘acceptable’ prejudice fattism.
‘I get eye-rolling when I get on the bus, and have been photographed eating by teenage girls who, I suspect, post pictures on social media.’
Amanda, whose partner Sam is also proudly plus-sized, admits: ‘It wasn’t until I was 23 that I realised I could be fat and beautiful. Until then, I had tried to lose weight by eating nothing but spinach for weeks and going to the gym for three hours a day, but that’s just not sustainable.’
Amanda denies her blog promotes obesity. She says there’s an assumption that people are 100 per cent in control of their size, when they’re not
However, Amanda denies her blog promotes obesity: ‘I’m not encouraging people to go out and become as fat as me. Instead, I’m encouraging people as fat as me to love themselves.’ She also believes such discrimination is made worse by the ‘moral panic’ about obesity and Government health warnings.
‘There’s this idea if you are fat it’s 100 per cent your fault. There’s also an assumption you are 100 per cent in control of your size. But we don’t have ultimate control. People have different bodies.’
Plus-size bloggers also point to conflicting evidence on the health risks of obesity. Some research has shown that overweight and moderately obese patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, actually live longer and do better than normal-weight patients with the same illnesses.
‘I have a balanced diet and active lifestyle. It doesn’t matter how I look on the inside. I’m judged by strangers for how I look on the outside. All the years of verbal, physical and mental abuse never led to me getting any slimmer
There are also a growing number of social media sites for ‘fit fatties’ who say exercise is not just for the skinny.
Naomi agrees, saying: ‘Part of the problem is we are constantly told fat people are a drain on society, which feeds prejudice.
‘I have a balanced diet and active lifestyle. It doesn’t matter how I look on the inside. I’m judged by strangers for how I look on the outside. All the years of verbal, physical and mental abuse never led to me getting any slimmer — it only ever contributed to me gaining weight.’
Psychologist Deanne Jade, director of the National Centre for Eating Disorders, says: ‘We can’t keep polarising thin and fat, where thin equals good and fat equals bad. There must be something in the middle.’
Whatever detractors might say, there’s something moving about these women, learning to love their bodies instead of continually criticising or trying to change them. Naomi believes she’s performing an important public service so other women don’t suffer as much as she did — and won’t stop spreading her message until we stop viewing a woman’s size as proof of worth.
She adds: ‘I don’t want anybody else to waste another day worrying they can only be beautiful when they are slim. I say: “Just be the best version of what you are.”’
Tanith Carey is author of Girls, Uninterrupted: Steps For Building Stronger Girls In A Challenging World.